Closure means for threading slot of balloon restrainer device for textile yarn processing machine

ABSTRACT

Improved closure means for the threading slot of a balloon restrainer device in a textile yarn processing machine, such as a twister or the like, which includes a spindle assembly for carrying a package of yarn to be withdrawn and processed and which produces a rotating balloon of the yarn around the package as it is withdrawn therefrom. The improved closure means comprise resilient means secured to the outside surface of the balloon restrainer and spanning the threading slot for resiliently closing the threading slot from the outside thereof during yarn processing operations for allowing the formation of a cushioning column of air within the threading slot from the inside of the balloon restrainer for preventing the escape of rotating air produced by the rotating balloon of yarn through the threading slot and thereby eliminating undesirable noise and which allows the opening of the slot during yarn threading for movement of the yarn therethrough.

Bermges Jan. l, 1974 CLOSURE MEANS FOR THREADING SLOT OF BALLOON RESTRAINER DEVICE FOR TEXTILE YARN PROCESSING MACHINE [75] lnventor: Manfred Bermges, Nettetal,

Germany t [73] Assignee: Palitex Project Company GmbH,

' Krefeld, Germany [22] Filed: June 6, 1972 [21] Appl. No: 260,139

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June l2, 1971 Germany P 21 29 259.1

52 11.3. CI. s7/10 57/108 ['51] Int. Cl. D0lh 1/42, DOlh 13/12 [58] Field of Search 57/34 R, l R, 106, 57/107, l08, 58.49, 58.86, 58.83

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l,6l l,l66 l2/l926 Daniloff 57/108 X 3.065.592 ll/l962 Kresslein 57/108 I 3.430.431 3/l969 Nimtz et al. 57/l08 3,327,465 6/l967 Nimtz 57/l08 FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 958 l89 5/1964 Great Britain .i 57/l08 l.()l3,()67 l2/l965 Great Britain ..57/l08 Primary Examiner-John Petrakes Attorney-Samuel G. Layton, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT Improved closure means for the threading slot of a balloon restrainer device in a textile yarn processing machine, such as a twister or the like, which includes a spindle assembly for carrying a package of yarn to be withdrawn and processed and which produces a rotating balloon of the yarn around the package as it is withdrawn therefrom. The improved closure means comprise resilient means secured to the outside surface of the balloon restrainer and spanning the threading slot for resiliently closing the threading slot from the outside thereof during yarn processing operations for allowing the formation of a cushioning column of air within the threading slot from the inside of the balloon restrainer for preventing the escape of rotating air produced by the rotating balloon of yarn through the threading slot and thereby eliminating undesirable noise and which allows the opening of the slot during yarn threading for movement of the yarn there through.

7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENIEDJAM 1 m4 SHEEI 10E 2 PATENTEDJAH I 1914 3.782.098

sum 2 0F 2 CLOSURE MEANS FOR THREADING SLOT OF BALLOON RESTRAINER DEVICE FOR TEXTILE YARN PROCESSING MACHINE This invention relates to improved means for closing the threading slot of a balloon restrainer device utilized in a spindle assembly of a textile yarn processing machine, such as a twister or the like.

In textile yarn twisters, particularly two-for-one twisters, spindle assemblies are utilized each of which includes a carrier mechanism for carrying a package of textile yarn to be withdrawn and twisted, a rotor mechanism for receiving the yarn from the package and for twisting the yarn as it is withdrawn from the package while forming a balloon of the withdrawn yarn around the package. These spindle assemblies also each normally includes a hollow balloon restrainer device surrounding the package of yarn and theballoon of yarn produced so as to limit the size of the balloon of yarn.

In order to thread the yarn through the aforementioned devices prior to twisting, it is necessary to thread the yarn inside of the balloon restrainer device and for this purpose a longitudinally extending, radial threading slot has been proposed for the balloon restrainer device.

The above-described threading slots in the balloon restrainer devices present certain problems inasmuch as the rotating balloons of yarn produced within the balloon restrainer devices during the twisting operations create rotating masses of air within the balloon restrainer devices which escape through the threading slots and cause undesirable noise and other problems from the spindle assembly. The noise factor is particularly acute when it is considered that a typical textile yarn twister machine includes many of the abovedescribed spindle assemblies.

Although closure means for the threading slots of balloon restrainer devices of textile yarn processing machines have been previously proposed, all of these closure means have been unsatisfactory from the standpoint of their failure to eliminate sufficient leakage or emission of air from the interior of the balloon restrainer devices and thereby satisfactorily eiliminate undesirable noise and/or from the standpoint of complexity of construction, undue expense, complexity of operation, etc. Many of the previously proposed threading slot closure means for balloon restrainer devices required complex balloon restrainer device constructions and flexible walls therefor which are undesirable. These previously proposed closure devices normally required mechanical operation for opening and closing of the threading slotwhich is also undesirable.

Accordingly, it is the object of this invention to provide an improved closure means for the threading slot of a balloon restrainer device in a spindle assembly of a textile yarn processing machine, such as a twister or the like, which eliminates undesirable leakage or emission of air created by the rotating balloon of yarn within the balloon restrainer device and thereby eliminates undesirable noise and which is simple in its construction and operation and thereby eliminates prior problems in construction of such closure means.

It has been found by this invention that the above object may be accomplished by providing, in a textile yarn processing machine, such as a twister or the like, having a spindle assembly for carrying a package of yarn to be withdrawn and processed and which produces a rotating balloon of the yarn around the package as it is withdrawn therefrom and which includes hollow balloon restraining means surrounding the package of yarn and the balloon of yarn produced so as to limit the size of the balloon of yarn and having a longitudinally extending, radial slot therein for threading of the yarn internally of the balloon restrainer means prior to yarn processing, the following improvement. Resilient means secured to the outside surface of the balloon restrainer means and spanning the threading slot for resiliently closing the threading slot from the outside thereof during yarn processing operations for allowing the formation of a cushioning column of air within the threading slot from the inside of the balloon restrainer means for preventing the escape of rotating air produced by the rotating balloon of yarn through the threading slot and thereby eliminating undesirable noise and which allows opening of the slot during yarn threading for movement of the yarn therethrough.

Some of the objects and advantages of this invention having been stated, other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is perspective view of a spindle assembly station of a textile twister machine utilizing the improvements of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the spindle assembly of FIG. 1 illustrating yarn being threaded through the improved threading slot closure means of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIGS. 4-9 are sectional views, like FIG. 3, illustrating various modified forms of the closure means.

Referring now to the drawings, one spindle assembly station of a textile yarn two-for-one twister mechanism is illustrated in FIG. 1. It is to be understood that a number of these spindle assembly stations are included in each twister machine.

The spindle assembly, generally indicated at 10, utilized in the spindle assembly station of FIG. 1 and also illustrated in FIG. 2, generally comprises a rotatably driven rotor mechanism, generally indicated at 11, which includes a whorl l2 suitably rotatably mounted on the twister frame 13 and rotated by a continuous belt drive 14 including pivotally mounted roll mechanism 15 in a manner well-known to those with ordinary skill in the art. The spindle assembly 10 further includes a carrier mechanism 18 for carrying a package P or yarn Y and being rotatably mounted on the rotor mechanism 11 so that the rotor mechanism may rotate relative thereto. The carrier mechanism includes a basket device 19 which surrounds the package P of yarn Y. Complete details of the rotor mechanism 11 and the carrier mechanism 18 are not illustrated in the drawings inasmuch as these complete details are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention.

During yarn processing or twisting, yarn Y is withdrawn from the package P and is threaded through the various mechanisms for twisting or processing of the yarn which results in the formation of a balloon of yarn around the package and around the basket device 19. For purposes of restraining the size of the thus formed balloon of yarn, a hollow balloon restrainer mechanism 22 is mounted around the above-described mechanisms of the spindle assembly 10 and around the rotating balloon of yarn, as shown in FIG. 1. The yarn Y is led from the spindle assembly 10 through a pigtail guide 24,

around a pre-take-up roller 25 and to a traversing device 26 from which it is wound onto a package roll 27 carrying a suitable bobbin or carrier for receiving the traversely wound yarn Y after it has been twisted or processed. The package roll 27 is rotated by a drive roll 28 in a manner well-known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

For starting up of the above-described yarn processing or twisting operation, the yarn Y must be pulled from the package P and threaded through the various devices of the spindle assembly including threading of the yarn Y internally of the balloon restrainer device 22. For this purpose, it has been found desirable to include a longitudinally extending, radial threading slot 30 in the balloon restrainer device 22 so that yarn may be threaded from the bottom of the balloon restrainer device 22 internally thereof from the outside, as shown in FIG. 2.

As discussed above, tests have shown that as the balloon of yarn Y rotates between the basket device 19 and the balloon restrainer device 22, a rotating column of air will be produced and this rotating column of air will escape or emit through the threading slot 30 at a high rate of speed causing excess noise in the operation of the yarn processing machine or twister.

For purposes of eliminating this undesirable emission or leakage of air from the interior of the balloon restrainer device 22 during operation of the twister or yarn processing machine, a resilient closure means, generally indicated at 40, has been proposed by this invention. This resilient closure means 40 is secured in a manner described below to the outside surface of the balloon restrainer device 22 and spans the threading slot 30 for resiliently closing the threading slot from the outside thereof during yarn twisting.

It has been found by this invention that closing of the threading slot 30 from the outside thereof allows the formation of a column of air within the threading slot 30 from the inside of the balloon restrainer device 22 which acts as a cushion against the rotating column of air produced by the rotating balloon of yarn during twisting operations and cushions the rotating air from leakage or emission out of the threading slot 30 during the yarn twisting operation. This, of course, would not be accomplished if the closure means 40 was positioned on the inside of the balloon restrainer device 22, as has been previously proposed, and undesirable leakage or emission of the rotating air would occur. Additionally, the flexible closure means 40 of this invention allows opening of the slot due to the resilience thereof during threading operation by the manual pulling of the yarn Y through the threading slot 30 and through the closure means 40, as indicated in FIG. 2.

The flexible closure means 40 may be secured to the outside surface of the balloon restrainer device 22 by the use of shoulder members 44 and 45 suitably secured to the outside surface of the balloon restrainer device 22 and extending along each side of each edge of the radial threading slot 30. These shoulder portions 44 and 45 include slots 46 and 47 extending transversely inwardly thereof at the point in which the shoulder portions 44 and 45 are secured to the balloon restrainer device 22 and which extend longitudinally of the shoulder portions 44 and 45 along each side or edge of the threading slot 30.

Referring specifically to the form of flexible closure means 40 illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the flexible closure means 40 comprises a pair of resilient strips 50 and 51. The resilient strips 50 or 51 may be constructed of rubber, plastic or other suitable resilient material. The strips 50 and 51 have one longitudinal edge of each secured within the slots 46 and 47 of the shoulder portions 44 and 45 adjacent respective edges of the threading slot 30 and have the other free edge thereof bent back upon itself and also secured within the slots 46 and 47 to form hollow abutting portions which abutt each other generally medially of the threading slot 30. This arrangement increases the surfaces of the strips 50 and 51 which are in abutting relation with each other. Suitable bracket and plate members 52 and 53 are utilized at the ends of the strips 50 and 51 and shoulder portions 44 and 45 for holding the strip members 50 and 51.

Referring now to the form of closure means illustrated in FIG. 4, the flexible closure means 40 also comprises a pair of resilient and flexible strips 54 and 55 which have one longitudinal edge of each secured within the slots 46 and 47 adjacent each edge ofthe slot 30 and have the other free edge of each strip 54 and 55 in abutting relationship with each other generally medially of the threading slot 30.

Referring now specifically to the form of closure means 40 illustrated in FIG. 5, this closure means 40 comprises a pair of flexible resilient strips 57 and 58 which have one longitudinal edge of each secured within the slots 46 and 47 of the shoulder portions 44 and 45 and have the other free edge thereof bent back upon themselves and secured in auxiliary slots 59 and 60 in the top portion of the shoulder portions 44 and 45 to form abutting surfaces of the strips 57 and 58 generally medially of the threading slot 30.

The form of closure means 40 illustrated in FIG. 6 comprises two flexible resilient strips 62 and 63 which also have one longitudinal edge of each secured within the slots 46 and 47 of the shoulder portions 44 and 45 and the other free edge of which is in the shape of a cylindrical lip which may be hollow and which are in abutting relationship generally medially of the threading slot 30.

The form of closure means 40 illustrated in FIG. 7 comprises two brush members 65 and 66 having one longitudinal edge of each secured to the side of the shoulder members 44 and 45 and the other free edges of which are in abutting relationship with each other generally medially of the threading slot 30.

The form of the closure means 40 illustrated in FIG. 8 comprises a single resilient strip 70 in which one longitudinal edge is secured in the slot 46 of shoulder portion 44 and the other free longitudinal edge of which is in abutting relationship along the other edge of the threading slot 30 so that the single strip 70 spans the threading slot 30.

The form of the closure means 40 illustrated in FIG. 9 also comprises a single flexible resilient strip 72 which has one longitudinal edge thereof secured within the slot 46 of shoulder portion 44 and the other free edge of which is in the form of a cylindrical lip portion which may be hollow and which is in abutting engagement with the other longitudinal edge of the threading slot 30.

Thus it may be seen that this invention has provided an improved closure means, which may take various forms, for eliminating undesirable emission of rotating air from the interior of a balloon restrainer device in a spindle assembly of a textile yarn processing machine or twister, but which will allow the threading slot to be opened by the resilience of the closure means during threading of the yarn therethrough.

In the drawings and specification there have been set forth preferred embodiments of this invention and, although specific terms havebeen employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

What is claimed is:

1. In a textile yarn processing machine, such as a twister or the like, having a spindle assembly for carrying a package of yarn to be withdrawn and processed and which produces a rotating balloon of the yarn around the package as it is withdrawn therefrom and which includes hollow balloon restrainer means surrounding the package of yarn and the balloon of yarn produced so as to limit the size of the balloon of yarn and having a longitudinally extending, radial slot therein for threading of the yarn internally of said balloon restrainer means prior to yarn processing; the improvement of:

resilient means secured to the outside surface of said balloon restrainer means and spanning said threading slot for resiliently closing said threading slot longitudinally thereof from the outside thereof during yarn processing operations for allowing the formation of a cushioning column of air within said threading slot from the inside of said balloon restrainer means for preventing the escape of rotating air produced by the rotating balloon of yarn through said threading slot and thereby eliminating undesirable noise and which allows opening of said slot during yarn threading for movement of the yarn therethrough.

2. in a textile yarn processing machine, as set forth in claim 1, in which said means covering said threading slot comprises a pair of cooperating, elongate, resilient strip means having one longitudinal edge of each secured to the outside surface of said balloon restrainer means adjacent respective edges of said threading slot and having the other free longitudinal edge of each strip means abutting each other generally medially of said threading slot for closing said threading slot and allowing opening of said threading slot by the resilience of said strip means during yarn threading.

3. in a textile yarn processing machine, as set forth in claim 2, in which said abutting, free, longitudinal edges of said strip means are bent back upon themselves to form hollow, abutting ends on said strip means for increasing the surfaces of said strip means which are in abutting relation.

4. In a textile yarn processing machine, as set forth in claim 2, in which said abutting, free, longitudinal edges of said strip means comprise generally cylindrical lip portions in abutting relationship with each other for increasing the surfaces of said strip means which are in abutting relation.

5. In a textile yarn processing machine, as set forth in claim 2, in which said cooperating, elongate, resilient strip means comprise brush elements.

6. In a textile yarn processing machine, as set forth in claim 1, in which said means covering said threading slot comprises an elongate resilient strip means having one longitudinal edge secured to the outside surface of said balloon restrainer means adjacent one respective edge of said threading slot and having the other free longitudinal edge of said strip means resiliently abutting the outside surface of said balloon restrainer means adjacent the other edge of said threading slot for closing said threading slot and allowing opening of said threading slot by the resilience of said strip means during yarn threading.

7. In a textile yarn processing machine, as set forth in claim 6, in which said free longitudinal edge of said strip means comprises a generally cylindrical lip portion for abutting the outside surface of said balloon restrainer means adjacent the other edge of said threading slot.

UNITED STATES PA'EEM OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

January 1, 1974 Patent No.- 5 8 098 v Dated lnventofl fred Bermges It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 5, line 25, after "slot,", first occurrence,

insert longitudinally thereof -E; line 26, cancel "longitudinally thereof".

Signed jand sealed this 19th dayof Novemb er 1974.

(SEAL) Attest: I I V MCCOY M. GIBSON "JRF C c; MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer I Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC 003754 69 us. covznnusm' PRINTING OFFICE: 930

F ORM PO-1050 (10-69) 

1. In a textile yarn processing machine, such as a twister or the like, having a spindle assembly for carrying a package oF yarn to be withdrawn and processed and which produces a rotating balloon of the yarn around the package as it is withdrawn therefrom and which includes hollow balloon restrainer means surrounding the package of yarn and the balloon of yarn produced so as to limit the size of the balloon of yarn and having a longitudinally extending, radial slot therein for threading of the yarn internally of said balloon restrainer means prior to yarn processing; the improvement of: resilient means secured to the outside surface of said balloon restrainer means and spanning said threading slot for resiliently closing said threading slot longitudinally thereof from the outside thereof during yarn processing operations for allowing the formation of a cushioning column of air within said threading slot from the inside of said balloon restrainer means for preventing the escape of rotating air produced by the rotating balloon of yarn through said threading slot and thereby eliminating undesirable noise and which allows opening of said slot during yarn threading for movement of the yarn therethrough.
 2. In a textile yarn processing machine, as set forth in claim 1, in which said means covering said threading slot comprises a pair of cooperating, elongate, resilient strip means having one longitudinal edge of each secured to the outside surface of said balloon restrainer means adjacent respective edges of said threading slot and having the other free longitudinal edge of each strip means abutting each other generally medially of said threading slot for closing said threading slot and allowing opening of said threading slot by the resilience of said strip means during yarn threading.
 3. In a textile yarn processing machine, as set forth in claim 2, in which said abutting, free, longitudinal edges of said strip means are bent back upon themselves to form hollow, abutting ends on said strip means for increasing the surfaces of said strip means which are in abutting relation.
 4. In a textile yarn processing machine, as set forth in claim 2, in which said abutting, free, longitudinal edges of said strip means comprise generally cylindrical lip portions in abutting relationship with each other for increasing the surfaces of said strip means which are in abutting relation.
 5. In a textile yarn processing machine, as set forth in claim 2, in which said cooperating, elongate, resilient strip means comprise brush elements.
 6. In a textile yarn processing machine, as set forth in claim 1, in which said means covering said threading slot comprises an elongate resilient strip means having one longitudinal edge secured to the outside surface of said balloon restrainer means adjacent one respective edge of said threading slot and having the other free longitudinal edge of said strip means resiliently abutting the outside surface of said balloon restrainer means adjacent the other edge of said threading slot for closing said threading slot and allowing opening of said threading slot by the resilience of said strip means during yarn threading.
 7. In a textile yarn processing machine, as set forth in claim 6, in which said free longitudinal edge of said strip means comprises a generally cylindrical lip portion for abutting the outside surface of said balloon restrainer means adjacent the other edge of said threading slot. 